1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to flash memory array erasing and programming, and more specifically, to a mechanism for programming a flash memory in response to an indication of a need to quickly store information in the flash memory.
2. Related Art
Present day vehicles rely upon the use of multiple microcontrollers and associated sensors to provide smooth operation of the engine, safety equipment, driver assistance mechanisms, and infotainment systems within the vehicle. These microcontrollers and sensors can be coupled via networks using a variety of protocols. Data can be shared between the various microcontrollers, much of it essential to the smooth and safe operation of the vehicle.
Vehicles can experience significant power fluctuations, power brownouts or blackouts during operation due to, for example, failure or impending failure of a battery or an alternator, rough road surfaces causing intermittent power connection failure, or a crash. During such significant power fluctuations it can be desirable to store certain sensor information so that the information can be later accessed to diagnose what problems were occurring in the vehicle during the course of the power fluctuation. But since the very nature of a significant power fluctuation may cause electronic components, such as microcontrollers, to cease to operate, such storage of sensor information needs to be performed very quickly, in many cases in less than 10 milliseconds after detection of the power fluctuation. Present vehicle systems are not configured to perform such fast storage of sensor information.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates identical items unless otherwise noted. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.